Ploughshares is published by Emerson College in Boston and is dedicated to publishing work of the highest literary quality. It uses a guest-editor to expose readers to different literary circles.

Analysis:

Ploughshares publishes very good, interesting writing and seems to be quite selective and strict about submission guidelines. The website suggests that you read through a couple issues before deciding to submit to get a feel for what Ploughshares is looking for. This seems like good advice. The fact that there’s a wide variety of guest-editors and that the magazine occasionally publishes emerging writers might increase your chances of publication.

Ploughshares is published three times a year. The spring and winter issues contain a mixture of poetry and prose, and the fall issue contains only prose. Each issue is guest-edited by a different prominent writer. The guest-editor can solicit up to half of his/her issue, and the other half is selected from unsolicited manuscripts.